Realisations
by Steff
Summary: Seven's kiss with Chakotay leaves her cold.  Help comes from an unexpected quarter
1. Chapter 1

**Realisations**

**Star Trek Voyager**

**Pairing: B'Elanna/Seven**

**Rating: T**

**DISCLAIMER:** Star Trek is the property of Paramount, no money is being earned from this piece of fan fiction.  
**NOTES:** In response to the Episode Endgame when Seven and Chakotay kiss – I had to write how things should have been.

**WARNING:** The first scene contains pyschologically disturbing images - but it was necessary for the plot!!!!! This story indicates a relationship between women. If this offends, please do not read.

**ARCHIVING:** Only with the permission of the author.

At the familiar sound of the transporter, Commander Chakotay turned and watched the pattern of blue shimmering lights form the shapely figure of Seven of Nine. She was holding a large bouquet of flowers. The tall man smiled. "What, the door not good enough for you?" he asked wryly.

Seven arched an eyebrow before answering. "I did not think you would want anyone to see me enter your quarters."

Chakotay's smile widened. "Are those for me?" he enquired, looking at the flowers.

Seven nodded and handed the blooms over.

Chakotay smelt them appreciatively. "I'll put them in water," he decided and began to walk over to the kitchen area. As he passed Seven, he suddenly found himself spun round and grabbed by the shoulders. His eyes widened slightly in surprise as Seven leant in to kiss him and then his eyes closed as he savoured the experience.

When they finally broke he looked at the blonde woman again. "What was that?"

"My research indicated that the prelude to a first kiss can be awkward. I wanted to eliminate that feeling so pre-empted the moment," Seven replied.

Chakotay beamed, and still found himself amazed that this stunning woman wanted to have a relationship with him. "What about the second?" he asked rakishly as he closed the distance between them once more.

Seven held up a hand to stop the caress. "I am sorry Commander," she stated haltingly.

"What's wrong?" Chakotay had swung from ecstasy to confusion in seconds.

Seven hesitated, her brow creased in a disconcerted frown. "My research indicated that the first kiss would be special," she explained.

"Well wasn't it?"

"No." Seven's reply was curt and to the point. "I am sorry Commander, but this wasn't what I expected."

"You're not the only one," Chakotay was stunned. As Seven turned to leave his quarters, he caught her by the elbow. "Wait a minute, Seven. Are you telling me that you're throwing in the towel based on one kiss?"

"I do not understand your colloquialism," Seven replied calmly as she extracted her arm from his grip. "But if you are asking if I am breaking up this relationship after our brief interaction, then yes, I am."

Chakotay shook his head. "But that's mad."

"No, it is how I feel. Good night Commander," Seven insisted, leaving his quarters before he had further opportunity to try and dissuade her otherwise.

Chakotay watched open-mouthed as she left, but already knew that if she had made up her mind about the situation, there was no way he'd be able to change it. It would be up to her to come to her own conclusions.

B'Elanna Torres waddled into Astrometrics without even looking up from the data padd she held in front of her. At eight months pregnant, she had been told to reduce the amount of hours she worked by both the Captain and the EMH but they had been less vocal since her split with Tom. He had finally had enough of her mood swings and not knowing how she was going to react to even the simplest hello. An argument triggered by one of her snappy retorts had gone far further than their usual set-to's, and they were both horrified by what they said to each other. Tom solemnly promised to be the father their child needed, but they both knew that they could no longer live together.

Tom had requested his old quarters back again and the crew manifest had been adjusted to reflect the dissolution of their marriage.

Since that time, B'Elanna had buried herself in work, despite her burgeoning pregnancy, in order to reduce the time she had on her own to dwell on her single status. It didn't always help. She caught herself daydreaming and berating herself for letting her child down before she was even born. She dreaded being a parent and Chief Engineer at the same time. She didn't know if she would be able to cope with all the new demands on her on top of the heavy responsibility she already had. She wasn't sure how reliable Tom would be as a father, despite his reassurances, though she had to admit that her doubts had more to do with the behaviour of her own father.

B'Elanna tried to remedy her wandering mind by doing tasks she wouldn't normally take care of. Hence the trip to Astrometrics. Seven had requested another power hike, and the engineer had complied earlier in the day. However, two gel packs had failed and needed replacing as a result of the increase. The associated circuitry also needed adjusting to reduce the sensitivity of the gel packs so that they would not blow again. The half-Klingon took it upon herself to affect repairs as a change of scenery would distract her enough not to consider her short-comings.

It was late into the beta shift by the time B'Elanna stepped through the doors so she looked up in surprise when she heard Seven's voice.

"Lieutenant, can I be of assistance?"

"Seven! I didn't think you'd still be here," B'Elanna replied, looking round in confusion for the beta shift staff.

"My plans for the evening were..." Seven faltered, unwilling to explain what had happened with Chakotay.

B'Elanna narrowed her eyes. "What's up Seven?"

In the seconds it took the dark hybrid to form the question, Seven had already put her barriers up. "It is not relevant. You have obviously entered Astrometrics for a reason. Can I help?"

Normally, B'Elanna would have brushed Seven off, but there was something not quite right with her demeanour. Something was clearly bothering her but if she was not prepared to talk about it, then there was little B'Elanna could do about it. But she could at least be civil to the blonde woman. "Well if you run the diagnostics as I change these gel packs, this repair won't take quite so long," she offered, knowing that Seven would know exactly what she was referring to.

The ex-drone nodded acquiescence, appreciating the fact that B'Elanna did not push her. The two women worked quickly and efficiently, with just a few exchanges when they were checking calculations and confirming that the circuitry was sound.

B'Elanna couldn't keep the disappointment from her voice when she announced that they had completed the task.

Seven looked up and raised an enhanced eyebrow. "Have I not performed within your exacting standards?"

"Kahless, no. Just the opposite," B'Elanna admitted candidly.

"I do not understand," Seven replied, frowning.

B'Elanna sighed heavily. "I was kind of hoping that this might take longer than it did."

"That is not efficient," Seven protested.

"Yeah, but it would also mean me not thinking about my life," the Klingon revealed, rubbing her abdomen distractedly.

Instantly, Seven understood. She was also amazed that B'Elanna had opened up so much. The engineer hid her emotions behind angry outbursts and brusque remarks, but Seven had recently begun to see past them. She found B'Elanna fascinating and had been delighted when their relationship finally staggered past the confrontational stage to the grudgingly accepting stage. B'Elanna let Seven pretty much do her own thing on the proviso that anything that might affect other systems should be run past her first; not as a check up, but to save any unnecessary maintenance work. Seven had appreciated the freedom B'Elanna had given her and not abused the privilege, ensuring that the Chief had been given advance notice of all modifications.

Seven knew that B'Elanna had been working ridiculously long hours since her separation from Tom, and that after the first few enraged outbursts at crew staff who pointed that fact out to her, she had been left to her own devices. She decided to risk the woman's wrath. "You should use the additional time to rest. You have been expending too much energy recently."

"Not you as well, Seven," B'Elanna groaned. "I'm perfectly fine. I have regular check ups and will do nothing to harm my baby. I just need to keep busy," the raven-haired Klingon explained.

"You are ignoring your problems, Lieutenant," Seven pointed out.

"You're a fine one to talk. What the hell are you doing here at this time of night?" Immediately defensive, B'Elanna reacted the only way she knew how, by attack. She was surprised to see the tall blonde hesitate. "Well?"

Seven, realising that she had been cornered, decided that honesty was the best policy. "I had a date with Commander Chakotay, but it did not go as I had planned."

Initially, B'Elanna was amazed. She couldn't believe her old Maquis captain had managed to get anywhere near Seven, but more to the point was staggered that Seven had deigned to go out with the man. She couldn't think of two less compatible people, excepting her and Tom she admitted to herself. "What do you mean, it didn't go to plan?"

"We have shared several hours together so tonight I decided that we should initiate the first kiss. I did extensive research and then kissed the Commander in his quarters," Seven began to explain.

B'Elanna knew that the outcome would not be good as Seven had only referred to Chakotay as Commander; there was certainly nothing intimate about their relationship now. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened," Seven exclaimed in disgust.

B'Elanna shook her head slightly. "I'm not following this. You just said you kissed."

"Yes, we kissed. But my research indicated that the first kiss would be a sensational experience that would trigger a myriad of emotional responses."

"No spark, huh?" B'Elanna summed it up neatly and Seven couldn't help but turn the corners of her mouth up in the tiniest of smiles. "You are correct, Lieutenant. There was no spark'."

B'Elanna exhaled heavily and then rubbed her back. She could do one of two things here. She could tease Seven and walk away or she could spend some time with her and talk about the young woman's desire to explore her humanity. Knowing that if she walked away, she would only end up brooding on her own failures, the smaller woman decided on the latter approach. "Have you eaten yet?"

"No, I left the Commander's quarters before dinner commenced."

For once, B'Elanna was pleased not to hear the usual not requiring nutritional supplements answer that Seven was prone to give.

"Well I'm starved. Do you want to talk about this in the Mess Hall?"

Seven was stunned. She had not expected B'Elanna to offer any sort of assistance and had been mentally preparing herself to receive a sarcastic remark. "I am not sure there is much to talk about," she hedged finally.

"Sure there is. You just don't know it yet." B'Elanna replied with a grin. "Come on, with all those replicator rations you must have stashed, you can treat me to something edible." With that, B'Elanna hooked her arm round Seven and led her out of Astrometrics, blaming the uncharacteristic action of stepping closer to the taller woman on the fact that her pregnancy had sent her hormones haywire.


	2. Chapter 2

Seven picked at the food in front of her. She was reluctant to try anything new as so far, she had more failures than successes as far as finding anything both edible and tasty was concerned. B'Elanna had offered to pick something out for her and then diligently enquired what she had already eaten and liked. Seven had expected B'Elanna to select a dish that she was already comfortable with, but instead, B'Elanna had requested something she had never heard of. Seven did not want to try the dish, not because she didn't trust B'Elanna, but she did not want to disappoint her by not liking it.

"Oh suck it up, Seven. If you don't like it, I'll get you a supplement," B'Elanna offered good-naturedly as she ravenously tucked into her own meal.

Seven wondered momentarily if B'Elanna had suddenly developed some telepathic ability, but she resolutely speared a portion of the dinner onto her fork and popped it into her mouth. She hesitantly rolled the morsel round her mouth for a second before beginning to chew. Relief flooded her features as she found that she actually liked what she was eating and she quickly targeted another piece.

"See, food isn't always unpalatable," her dining companion commented sagely.

"This is accept..." Seven stopped herself from using her usual expressions. "This is delicious, Lieutenant. Thank you."

B'Elanna smiled before concentrating on her food again. "You're welcome." They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes before the brunette spoke again. "I didn't realise I was so hungry," she remarked as she surveyed her empty plate.

"Would you like more? I have several hundred rations available," Seven offered instantly.

"No, I'm good. But thanks for that. I may have to con some rations out of you another time," B'Elanna replied, amazing herself with the ease in which they were having a conversation. She looked round the Mess Hall as she waited for Seven to finish eating. The lighting had been muted slightly to indicate the lateness of the hour, and the only other occupant was busily tidying away pots and pans and preparing utensils for breakfast in the morning. "You want to talk about what happened now?" she probed softly.

"I have already told you what happened, Lieutenant," Seven pointed out reasonably.

"Well you've told me the clinical and logical version. How about the bit where you're upset or bemused or even just plain annoyed that what you wanted to happen didn't happen? Or even the bit where you doubt your research? Maybe you might want to talk about how you're thinking maybe the research was right and perhaps it has something to do with you?"

B'Elanna talked softly and without any accusatory tone and Seven was simply astounded by her insight. She concentrated on one of the things the engineer had said. "It must be my fault. My research was not flawed. Commander Chakotay has had several relationships. It is only logical that the problem lies with me."

B'Elanna was amazed at just how insecure the former Borg was. She always carried an air of superiority about her along with a bearing of supreme confidence. But the younger woman's answer did not surprise her. It was typical of Seven to analyse problems clinically and easy for her to take the blame as she had still not escaped her past. B'Elanna was well aware that she was guilty of frequently reminding Seven of that past, probably more than most of the rest of the crew. But she had come to terms with Seven's presence eventually and begun to appreciate the difficulties the ex-drone was dealing with.

It had been when Seven was dying due to her malfunctioning cortical node that B'Elanna truly changed her opinion of the Astrometrics officer. Seven had gone to Engineering and asked B'Elanna to hide her, and the Klingon had done just that. Initially, B'Elanna was surprised that Seven trusted her that much, but during the lengthy conversation they shared, she realised that Seven considered her to be one of the few people on board who treated her as an equal, even when she herself sometimes did not. They had each bared parts of their souls that day, and the result had been a less argumentative workplace. B'Elanna had even found herself spending time with Seven off duty when Tom was busy with his holodeck programs, but that had all changed when she became pregnant.

"It may have something to do with you," B'Elanna stated candidly. "But I think it might have more to do with who you were kissing."

"There is nothing wrong with Commander Chakotay," Seven protested.

"That's a totally different discussion," B'Elanna replied dryly before continuing. "What I meant was, there was no spark' because you weren't kissing the right person."

Seven was intrigued. The concept that she had made a mistake in selection had not occurred to her. "Commander Chakotay met all the parameters I specified when looking for a companion," she protested.

"What?" B'Elanna deliberately kept the frown on her face in an attempt not to laugh. She knew that Seven was feeling sensitive at the moment. It would not be fair to mock her approach. "Seven, I don't know who you've been talking to, or where you've been doing your research, but you can't just enter in a set of requirements and expect to come out with the perfect relationship."

"The Doctor went through the process with me some time ago. I resurrected the programming algorithm he utilised and adjusted it," Seven informed her.

"That would be the one and only date with Lieutenant Chapman?" B'Elanna couldn't help but point out.

"I am well aware of the failure of that attempt. That is why I altered some of the aspects of the program."

"Did it not occur to you that perhaps it was just the wrong way to do this?" B'Elanna's eyebrows rose slightly when she saw the usually composed blonde flush slightly. "What?"

"I find it difficult to socialise with this crew at the best of times, Lieutenant. The only way I could prepare myself to do something like this was to research it fully and then impart my reasons to the intended recipient."

"Well I have to differ with you on the first count, Seven. We're socialising right now, and other than the fact that you keep referring to me as Lieutenant, despite the fact we're both off-duty, you're doing fine."

"That is your designation," Seven pointed out.

"No, it's my rank. My name is B'Elanna, and you're welcome to use it, if you want to."

Seven stared at the chief engineer. The woman had managed to surprise her again this evening. She had fully intended not to talk about what had happened earlier in the evening, but had accompanied B'Elanna to the Mess Hall so that she could eat. Seven did not want her to neglect her health, particularly now she was so well advanced in her pregnancy. The Klingon hybrid had then ordered something edible for her to eat, and teased her into tasting it. Now, without even trying, she had managed to coax her into conversation. Seven was startled when B'Elanna pointed out that she was indeed socialising. She hadn't even recognized that she was doing it. Now, B'Elanna had told her to use her name and not her rank when they were off duty. Given the volatile start to their relationship, Seven realised that they had come a long way. She hid her shock with another question. "What about the second part of my statement?"

B'Elanna returned Seven's gaze. "Well, that's a bit more problematic. I'm also probably not the person to ask."

"You are the only person I am able to socialise with in a relaxed manner, with the possible exception of Naomi Wildman. While she is a child of considerable talent, I do not think that she can provide assistance in this matter. I have no one else to ask," Seven stated matter-of-factly.

"I know that. But I don't exactly have a brilliant track record with relationships either. I've split from my husband, despite carrying his child, and before Voyager," B'Elanna hesitated a fraction. "You don't want to know what happened before Voyager. Let's just say I'm not the poster-girl for long term commitment."

"I thought Klingons mated for life," Seven replied, a small frown creasing her forehead.

"Are you telling me I should still be with Tom?" B'Elanna retorted, suddenly angry.

"No. I was simply pursuing something I read during my research," Seven tried to reassure the older woman.

B'Elanna forced herself to calm down, knowing that Seven was simply making an enquiry. "In general, Klingons do mate for life. They're too proud to admit making a mistake and divorce would be a public declaration of that. But I'm half-Klingon, and more to the point, it would not have been fair on Tom to insist on staying married, especially when I couldn't stand to be around him."

"So your emotions have changed from love to hate," Seven theorised. "This is why I find it so difficult to rationalise relationships," she remarked.

"I don't hate Tom," B'Elanna corrected. "I will always love him too."

Seven raised an eyebrow. "Explain."

B'Elanna laughed slightly; glad to feel the tension seep away from her shoulders. She had not wanted to talk to Seven about this, but for some reason did not feel a fool for speaking with her. "I love Tom but I'm not in love with him. I don't think I ever was. He's a lovely guy when you get to know him. He's loyal and funny and he defended me against a lot of people when I first came on board here. He also wouldn't take no for an answer, and eventually I succumbed to all the flattery."

"Why did you marry him?" Seven asked, genuinely curious. She had yet to see Tom in any other light than an over-confident pilot and reluctant assistant to the EMH, though in fairness, he had offered to be a friend for her when she first came aboard Voyager.

"I thought I was losing him. He spent more time with his personal projects than he did with me, so I became his co-pilot for that stupid race and we got caught up in the moment. I was trying to come up with a way to dissolve the marriage when I fell pregnant, and then my Klingon hormones took over and pretty much aborted the marriage by themselves." B'Elanna grimaced slightly, once again recalling the last argument she and Tom had.

"I do not understand," Seven interrupted the engineer's train of thought. "You state that you love Tom but you are not in love' with him. What is the difference?"

B'Elanna was pleased for the distraction and she grinned evilly. "No spark." She was gratified to see Seven's eyes widen slightly.

"I see. Perhaps I should introduce you to the program I am using. You may be more successful than me." The corners of Seven's mouth twitched very slightly.

"Seven, did you just tease me?" B'Elanna asked incredulously.

"I was merely making a suggestion," the tall blonde replied enigmatically.

"Well, to be honest, it can't be much worse than my way," the raven- haired woman grumbled amiably.

"You have not actually explained your method," Seven pointed out.

"Oh, you know. Talking to people and spending time with them. Finding out how comfortable you feel round them and then spending more time with them. You know; socialising. That thing you're really bad at. That thing that we've just spent the last hour and a half doing," B'Elanna explained.

Seven stared at her plate for a moment before looking back at the engineer. "B'Elanna, would you give me assistance?" she asked hesitantly.

"Assistance? What do you mean?" B'Elanna probed, even as she smiled; it was good to hear the blonde woman actually use her name.

"As you are now fully aware, I find it difficult to be relaxed around other people. But I do not have that problem with you. Would you help me interact with the crew in a social setting?"

"What, act as a go between or tell you what to say, something like that?" B'Elanna asked, trying to clarify the request.

"No, that would not be a true reflection of my personality. Perhaps if other crewmembers saw how we interact together, they might not think I am awkward or unapproachable, and if I know that you are present, I will know that I will have at least one person to have a frank discussion with and not feel so isolated." Seven felt incredibly exposed by revealing her short-comings, but was certain that B'Elanna would not use the knowledge against her.

B'Elanna sat back slightly. "So you want us to go out together so that other members of the crew can get to know you," she surmised, blushing slightly at her choice of words. She looked anxiously at Seven to see if she'd picked up on what she had said, and for some inexplicable reason, the engineer felt a small thrill at the thought of going out with Seven.

"Not exactly. But close enough. Would that be acceptable B'Elanna?" Seven probed. Now that B'Elanna had mentioned going out together, Seven was warming to the idea. She wanted to spend more time with the engineer. She liked this relaxed sensation she was feeling and she was enjoying B'Elanna's company. She wanted those feelings to continue.

"That would be great," B'Elanna grinned. She was delighted to see a genuine smile light Seven's features in response to her answer.


	3. Chapter 3

B'Elanna sighed as she looked round the holodeck setting. The EMH had decided that he too was entitled to a birthday and therefore a birthday party to mark the occasion. The captain had agreed, though she had vetoed the Doctor's suggestion that the anniversary should coincide with the day he was first activated. Janeway doubted that anyone would want to celebrate the day Voyager was stranded in the Delta Quadrant.

Having negotiated a suitable alternative and enlisting the help of both Neelix and Tom Paris, the Doctor had elected to hold a Masquerade and requested that the crew attire themselves as flamboyantly as possible.

At eight months pregnant, the thought of putting on any more clothes than absolutely necessary horrified the Klingon engineer, so after a little careful research, she had managed to find a costume that didn't make her feel like she was wearing a brightly coloured marquee and just about met the Doctor's requirements. It was a simple, elegant blue dress that was made fancy with a garish mask.

The mask was currently lying on the bar next to her drink. The engineer did not like donning it; it reminded her too closely of the times she had hidden her heritage behind scarves and hats. B'Elanna had managed to secure the position at the bar early into the evening. She had agreed to accompany Seven to the function, much to the former drone's relief as it gave her a valid reason to turn down the many offers she had received to escort her to the party.

The two women had arrived as late as they dared and B'Elanna had quickly guided Seven over to the corner of the bar. The brunette explained that it made sense to have just one way for people to approach them so Seven could not be ambushed by unwanted attention from many people simultaneously, and at the same time, they could demonstrate that Seven did indeed have social skills and give the crew an opportunity to speak with the young blonde in a more comfortable environment for her. B'Elanna had ordered drinks for them and they had conversed quietly for a time, with B'Elanna pointing out various crew members and commenting on their dress, interactions and other social nuances that Seven had never been privy to when attempting her humanity lessons with the EMH.

Inevitably, Seven had attracted attention of many of the staff. She was complemented continually on her choice of costume; a shimmering silver dress that hugged her curves before flaring out and down to the floor. She had elected to wear her hair pinned up in a far less severe style, with loose tresses framing her face. She had selected a similar style mask to B'Elanna's, but it was midnight black, contrasting with her alabaster skin and golden hair. B'Elanna had been secretly pleased to note that Seven seemed to lift her mask when she conversed with every other member of the crew, but lowered it again when she spoke with her.

At first the evening had gone well. B'Elanna found that she was relaxed, despite the setting and she enjoyed spending time with the Astrometrics officer. Even when the first few crewmembers plucked up enough courage to engage in conversation, B'Elanna was simply pleased that they had seen past Seven's frosty exterior and were making the time to get to know her. She patiently stood just behind Seven and would join in the conversation if the taller woman faltered or began to look lost, smiling reassuringly at her when she saw the relief on Seven's face at her interventions. She also vetted the crew's interest and politely but firmly steered some people away, knowing that they had a hidden agenda when they struck up a conversation with the ex-drone.

As the evening progressed, Seven's confidence grew and eventually, she accepted Harry's offer of a dance. B'Elanna had collared the young Ops officer before the function and instructed him to escort Seven back to her location at the end of the dance so that the blonde wouldn't have to fend off a long queue of admirers all wanting a dance. Harry had been true to his word and returned Seven. However, the crew had seen that Seven was not totally averse to the idea of dancing and a steady stream of hopefuls lined up to lead Seven onto the dance floor.

At first Seven baulked, but B'Elanna reminded her of her success with Harry and the tall blonde accepted one invitation, and then another. As her confidence grew, the Astrometrics officer spent more and more time away from the corner of the bar, talking with her dancing partners even as she glided elegantly over the ballroom floor.

Now, B'Elanna found herself alone with a non-alcoholic drink in the corner of a bar and no-one talking to her. She didn't want to dance with anyone due to feeling so cumbersome and clumsy, and she was tired, having already worked for 12 hours in Engineering. She wanted nothing more than to sink as much alcohol as possible, but was denied that small luxury due to the baby inside her. The engineer didn't want to admit it, but she missed Seven when she wasn't with her, and, perhaps more curiously, was envious of those people she elected to dance with. She found that she couldn't take her eyes off the taller woman as various partners guided her across the dance floor.

B'Elanna knew that she had agreed to accompany Seven to functions so that the young woman could learn to interact naturally with the crew and perhaps be more successful in her quest to find a romantic interest, but B'Elanna found that she did not want to share Seven with anyone else. The more time they spent together, the more B'Elanna realised they had in common. They discussed engineering and scientific problems intelligently, bouncing ideas off each other even as they disputed each other's opinions. B'Elanna found herself leaving work at a more reasonable hour so that she could meet with the ex-drone and had shared meal times since Seven's aborted date with Chakotay.

She had dreaded attending the EMH's masquerade ball, knowing that she would have to stand back and watch as Seven developed her social skills and perhaps selected someone she wanted to date. Now, she was watching Seven engage in conversation and dancing if not easily, then certainly less formally than she ever had before. B'Elanna noticed the twitch of a smile that graced her lips every time the former Borg looked her way. Seven was clearly enjoying herself.

B'Elanna sighed and rubbed her abdomen distractedly. It wouldn't be too long before Seven found someone else to share her free time with, and once again, B'Elanna would be on her own. It bothered her that she could potentially be losing the first person she had actually related to since being on Voyager and at the same time, she kicked herself for not seeing the woman for what she really was sooner.

She grimaced; not only was she having a dismal time on the holodeck, but now, Neelix's cuisine seemed to be affecting her. She ignored the pain in her belly and took another sip of her drink. Perhaps Seven would return at the end of her current dance and they could talk again.

Seven allowed herself to be led across the dance floor expertly by the Doctor. He had been talking almost incessantly about the success of his party and the tall blonde had pretended to listen attentively. Every now and again, a turn in their routine allowed her to glimpse at B'Elanna as the brunette hid herself away in the corner of the ballroom. Seven smiled every time she saw her, hoping to convey that she was thinking of her and wanted to get back to her company, but the engineer looked troubled.

Seven had been delighted when B'Elanna agreed to accompany her to the Doctor's birthday' party. She had been prepared for the dark Klingon to try and back out of the arrangement they had made a few days before, but B'Elanna had acquiesced willingly, grumbling only about finding something decent to wear.

Since their meeting in Astrometrics after Seven's disastrous liaison with Chakotay, the blonde ex-drone had managed to spend a lot more time with B'Elanna. She had badgered her in Engineering so that she took time off for lunch, and would make arrangements to meet for dinner so that the Klingon hybrid did not bury herself in work.

At first, Seven was worried about upping the contact with the Chief Engineer. They did not share the calmest of relationships and the young woman was concerned that they would end up clashing explosively. To her surprise, she found that although they disagreed on issues; mainly engineering and science problems, they either agreed to differ or came to solutions that they both found acceptable.

Seven enjoyed talking with B'Elanna. She was one of the few people on Voyager with whom she could hold a conversation on the same level, and Seven was amused by B'Elanna's admission that she liked to see the looks of utter bewilderment on people's faces when they overheard their discussions.

B'Elanna had advised her not to turn up too early for the function so that they did not have to endure any more than was absolutely necessary, and that they were free to leave at any time should Seven feel overwhelmed. On the way to the holodeck, the Klingon made reassurances that she would stay close and deflect any unwanted attention away so that Seven could have the opportunity to socialise without worrying over ulterior motives. Seven had found the smaller woman's concerns touching, and realised that this was probably the first gathering on Voyager that she was not dreading. As long as B'Elanna was close, she would be fine.

Seven guessed that B'Elanna had briefed Harry before he asked her to dance. It was another small detail that had amazed the ex-drone. But Seven was also concerned. B'Elanna had provided her with a more comfortable environment in which to socialise and potentially find a romantic interest. However, the Astrometrics officer's desire to do that had waned since she had begun to spend more and more time with B'Elanna. She was reluctant to enter into relationship with someone else if that meant encroaching on the time spent with B'Elanna.

Seven was acutely aware that the engineer was feeling isolated since her separation from Tom. B'Elanna would not talk about what might happen after the birth of her child, but simply stated that she would cope. But the former Borg thought that she was making progress with her. She was no longer quite so tense when they talked about the future, and B'Elanna also informed her that she would be calling upon her services as a babysitter should she need one. Although they had both laughed, Seven had been thrilled at the thought that B'Elanna outwardly trusted her enough with that sort of responsibility. The ex-drone did not want to undo the bond of trust she had formed with B'Elanna by diverting her attention elsewhere. More to the point, Seven wasn't sure that she wanted her attention diverted elsewhere.

So now she was dancing with various crewmembers and instead of wondering if she could further her social skills and expand her humanity, she was comparing each one to B'Elanna and the connection she had formed with her. To her surprise and delight, everyone so far did not even come close to those standards. But if B'Elanna had gone to that much trouble to ensure a comfortable setting for her to socialise, Seven doubted that the woman would be interested in developing their own relationship any further than the friendship that they now shared.

Seven knew that her situation was complex and she was not sure that she could find a solution to her predicament without alerting B'Elanna to her feelings. If that happened, there was no telling how the half-Klingon would react.

She was startled from her reverie by her dancing companion. "Seven? Have you listened to a word I've said?" The Doctor sounded aggrieved.

"Yes I have," the blonde replied honestly. "I have just heard you ask me a question," she pointed out reasonably.

"That's not what I meant," the EMH answered testily. "I was just asking if you thought that my party was a success."

Seven resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "You have already enquired about the accomplishment of your Masquerade. My opinion has not altered." At the Doctor's crest-fallen look, she felt compelled to add. "It has been a success."

"Well, you've certainly bloomed in this environment, Seven. I wish I'd thought of this sooner."

"The credit is not yours to take," Seven replied bluntly. "B'Elanna has given me the confidence to attempt social functions. Without her assistance, I would not have attended tonight."

"B'Elanna? What does she know about social etiquette?" The Doctor was incredulous.

"She may not be fully conversant with all the nuances of social etiquettes, but she does me the courtesy of treating me as an equal. Her observations are honest and useful. She has not mocked my attempts at developing my humanity, nor has she treated it like an experiment." Seven wasn't sure why she was so angry at the Doctor's sneering at her friend.

The EMH was surprised at Seven's outburst. "I didn't mean to cast doubt on B'Elanna's abilities," he hedged.

"Yes, you did," Seven contradicted instantly. "Now, if you will excuse me, this dance has finished." The tall Borg stepped out of the EMH's grasp and turned round in order to return to where B'Elanna was waiting. Her step faltered when she caught sight of her friend. The brunette was doubled over, her face a rictus of agony.

"Doctor," Seven called instantly.

The EMH followed her gaze before the two of them sprinted over to B'Elanna's location.


	4. Chapter 4

B'Elanna screamed out as pain tore through her abdomen. The agony forced her to sit upright on the biobed she was currently occupying in Sick bay and she clenched her stomach. "Doctor, what the hell is happening to me?" This was way beyond the upset stomach she thought Neelix's food had provoked.

"Your baby is trying to put in an early appearance," the EMH replied calmly as he ran a tricorder over the lower half of her body.

"Then why the hell does it hurt so much? Klingons should be able to give birth on the battlefield without drawing attention to their position," the brunette grated out, the tendons in her neck standing out as she braced her body against the pain.

"Because you're half-Klingon," the EMH pointed out reasonably. He frowned as he examined the results of the scan.

B'Elanna picked up on his change of mood instantly. "What's wrong?" She looked at Seven anxiously.

"The placenta is breaking away from the uterine wall prematurely. It's why you're in so much pain," the Doctor told her. He started to move more speedily. "I'm going to have to do an emergency transfer."

"Do you want Mr Paris in attendance?" Seven asked B'Elanna.

"What for?" B'Elanna was confused.

"He has some interest in the birth of your child," the blonde stated.

"Unless I've been in here a lot longer than it already feels, the last time I looked, Tom was more than halfway to getting completely drunk."

"I am sure he would sober when he is told of the situation," Seven speculated.

B'Elanna grunted as pain tore through her abdomen again. "Doc, what's taking so long? Is my baby okay?"

"I'm just setting up the procedure. It shouldn't be too much longer," the hologram assured her.

"If you want Mr Paris present, I must contact him now," Seven reminded her gently.

"I'd rather have you here," the engineer gasped. She looked steadily at Seven and held her gaze. A small smile graced B'Elanna's lips when she saw the blonde nod acquiescence.

"If you're staying, you can help." The EMH broke the mood instantly.

"How may I be of assistance?" Seven was immediately attentive.

"The transporter is having difficulty separating the baby from B'Elanna," the Doctor explained, gesturing to his console.

Seven looked at the readings briefly before making a series of computations, her long slender fingers gracefully floating over the console. She looked up at B'Elanna, her face carefully schooled into a mask of concern and reassurance. "This will take a few moments," she stated.

"I'd offer to help, but I'm not sure I can concentrate for any length of time," the Klingon groaned. She wiped away the sweat from her face distractedly, her eyes never leaving her companions.

The EMH and Seven continued to work swiftly as they tried to solve the problem of transporting the baby out of B'Elanna's womb safely. The Doctor broke off on several occasions to re-examine his patient and administer analgesia. B'Elanna was still clearly in pain, and she looked exhausted and drawn, her normally tan features pale.

"What's taking so long?"

"The sensors will not recognise your baby as a separate entity," the EMH answered.

"I know that! Why's it taking so long to resolve?" B'Elanna's patience, never in abundance under normal circumstances, was dangerously worn.

"I am working on their reconfiguration, but standard methods are not resolving the problem," Seven replied, not looking up from the workstation.

B'Elanna struggled to sit up and get off the bio-bed.

"What do you think you're doing?" The Doctor's voice rose incredulously.

"Trying to get up," the engineer replied tersely.

"Well don't, you could aggravate your condition."

"I'm telling you Doc, I can't imagine feeling any more aggravated than I do now. I'm gonna see if I can sort out this sensor problem," B'Elanna told them. As she put her feet onto the floor, she swayed.

"Get back on the bed," the EMH ordered, hovering over her.

"Doc," she protested, even as she swallowed down her nausea.

"Lieutenant, if you remain standing, your blood pressure will drop and you will lose consciousness. Your decreased blood pressure can potentially harm your baby. You are in no fit state to help."

"Well, not much is getting done at the moment!" B'Elanna growled back, her patience finally gone. She clutched the side of the bed suddenly as the room started to spin.

Knowing that he risked only B'Elanna's pride, the Doctor swooped down, lifted her up and placed her gently onto the biobed. His concern grew when she made no protest whatsoever. Hurriedly, he ran a tricorder over the hybrid. "You're haemorrhaging internally," he told her. "I have to operate now."

"The transporter is not functioning adequately for the procedure," Seven reminded him, even as she tried another method of recalibration.

"I'm not talking about an emergency transport. I need to do a caesarean," the EMH replied curtly. "Is Mr Paris available to assist?"

Seven raised an enhanced eyebrow, surprised that the Doctor had missed her earlier exchange with B'Elanna. "I believe he may have consumed alcohol and his judgement could be impaired."

The tall bald medic grimaced. "My damned party. Every one with an ounce of medical training is there." He looked at the Astrometrics officer speculatively. "Well, scrub up Seven. Looks like you're going to add nurse' to your list of duties."

"I am not qualified to assist you," Seven protested, still furiously working on the transporter.

"You're a quick study." The EMH returned his attention to the woman reclining on the biobed. "B'Elanna, I need to sedate you. I haven't got time to anaesthetise just your lower body. Your baby wants to make an appearance, and we don't have time to wait."

"Doctor, you're scaring me," B'Elanna admitted candidly.

Showing a keen insight, the EMH continued, keeping his tone low and sympathetic. "I know it's unusual to do this procedure, but Seven is staying right here to help me. I need you to remain calm. I'll explain everything as I go."

B'Elanna blinked suddenly, feeling the burn of tears in her eyes. "Am I going to lose my baby?" she asked in a small voice.

"Not if I can help it."

The engineer swallowed and nodded hesitantly. "Go on then," she invited.

The EMH smiled and nodded kindly before pressing a hypospray against B'Elanna's neck and administering the sedative.

"Doctor, I have looked at the procedure you cited. Is it your intention to cut the foetus from B'Elanna's uterus?" Seven sounded incredulous.

"I am aware that it sounds barbaric. But I can think of no other procedure that will save both the baby and Lieutenant Torres at this time," the EMH replied perfunctorily.

"B'Elanna is also in danger?" Seven wanted the last statement confirmed.

"At the moment, I'm more concerned for her welfare than the baby." He paused, noting the stricken look on the ex-drone. "Seven, we have to work quickly. The baby is showing no signs of distress yet, but B'Elanna is going into hypovolaemic shock. As the placenta breaks away from the uterine wall however, the baby will be denied a blood supply, and B'Elanna will continue to haemorrhage internally. I have to get the foetus out and repair the vascular damage."

"But the placenta is designed to break away after birth," Seven pointed out reasonably.

"Quite right, but when the baby is born, hormones are triggered to reduce the size of the womb rapidly and vaso-constriction also takes place. As the baby is still in situ, none of this is happening."

Seven stared at B'Elanna for a moment. "What do you need me to do?" she asked finally.

The baby squalled noisily as she squirmed in the crib she had been placed in. Her cries accompanied the sounds of medical equipment beeping regularly and the movements of the two people working feverishly around a bio-bed.

"Her blood pressure is falling again," Seven intoned neutrally.

"Increase epinephrine push another 2mg," the Doctor reacted automatically as he continued surgery.

Seven complied and looked at B'Elanna anxiously, waiting for the next direction from the EMH.

They had been working for over three hours. The Doctor had managed to deliver the baby safely within a few minutes of starting the procedure. Despite being only ¼ Klingon, the baby had remained resolutely quiet, giving credence to the legends of childbirth on the battlefields.

Seven had placed the baby gently into a neo-natal chamber and run a set of diagnostics to ensure her health while the Doctor continued his surgery on B'Elanna. As soon as she was satisfied that the baby was stable, she returned to assist the EMH.

Methodically, the Doctor repaired the vascular damage to B'Elanna's uterus. Fortunately, Seven was indeed a quick learner and her assistance was invaluable, enabling him to work without interruption. However, as he continued, he realised that there had been far more damage than he first thought and it had taken him almost three hours to stop the haemorrhaging. As the time drew on, the baby woke and began to cry. Knowing that the baby was just hungry, she was ignored while they stabilised her mother.

Eventually the Doctor stood back and straightened. "That's it. She just needs time to recover," he declared, satisfied that the procedure was over.

"How long will it take for B'Elanna to recover?" Seven asked, looking at the crying infant.

"Difficult to say at this stage," the EMH admitted honestly. He finished setting up the monitoring equipment for the engineer. "It will take approximately two hours for the anaesthetic to wear off." He shrugged as he continued contemplating the situation. "And another two or three days for her to recover well enough for her to leave sick bay."

Seven raised an adorned eyebrow speculatively. "Will you be turning Sick bay into a nursery until then?" She asked, looking over at the crying infant.

"I don't think I have much choice. B'Elanna certainly won't want to be separated from her."

Seven moved over to the crib and picked the crying baby up. "She is in need of nutritional supplements," the blonde declared.

The EMH agreed, and hurried over to the replicator. He came back with a small feeding bottle and held it out for Seven to take.

"Why are you handing that to me?" she asked nervously.

"She's hungry and needs feeding," the bald man told her.

"You want me to feed her?" the ex-drone wanted clarification.

"Well you are holding her. And from what I've seen recently, I rather suspect B'Elanna would want you to look after her while she can't."

For a fraction, Seven's normally cool façade cracked and she looked panic-stricken. "I am not sure that I can," she faltered.

"Well, now's the perfect time to find out. I need to clean up," the Doctor stated cheerfully, and walked away from the tall blonde.

Seven held the bottle inertly for a few seconds, before B'Elanna's baby put renewed effort into her crying. Quickly, she looked at the infant and then put the bottle to its intended use.

The change was instant. The baby relaxed in Seven's arms and sucked noisily. The feed was accompanied with contended sighs, and Seven could not help but smile. Perhaps this enforced assignment might not be so bad after all.


	5. Chapter 5

Seven paced softly and gently rocked the small bundle she held in her arms. B'Elanna Torres' baby, as yet un-named, was sleeping fitfully, her tiny hands balled into fists and twitching slightly as she settled into a deeper sleep. Seven knew that it would not take long for the infant to relax after a good size meal of milk so she moved carefully over to the baby's crib.

She placed the baby onto the mattress before methodically tucking a light blue blanket around her. The tall Astrometrics officer remained bent over the crib and waited a few minutes to ensure that the baby really was sound asleep before straightening up and stretching. She glanced over to where B'Elanna lay sleeping and allowed the ghost of a smile to flash across her features. Despite the exhausting trial the brunette had endured, she looked beautiful and peaceful.

Seven allowed herself to relive the last few hours, assisting the Doctor as he worked frantically to save both B'Elanna and the baby. With the luxury of reflection, Seven recalled just how concerned she had been for the both of them. The Astrometrics Officer paused and with typically brutal honesty, admitted silently that she had been petrified. There had been times when she thought that B'Elanna was going to die, and the feelings of hopelessness and fear had gnawed at her insides voraciously. Seven was unsure as to why these emotions appeared so powerful, but she knew she did not want them repeated.

As she evaluated her feelings, she realised that she was struggling with a paradox. She enjoyed her time with B'Elanna and knew that the woman understood her far more than any other person she had come across. She wanted to spend hours with the engineer, and felt more comfortable in her presence than at any other time. In direct contradiction to this was the sheer terror she had just experienced. Seven was certain that the feelings had been amplified due to her new found relationship with B'Elanna, and knew that should B'Elanna be compromised again, her emotions would be scratched raw.

Seven's reverie was interrupted by the Doctor. "You should rest," he advised sagely.

"I do not need to regenerate at this time," Seven retorted automatically.

The Doctor smiled. "That may be true, but you need to take advantage of any opportunity, now that you're looking after a baby."

The tall blonde frowned. "Lt Torres will have a long list of volunteers willing to help," she predicted.

"More than likely," the EMH agreed. "But you know B'Elanna better than I do. Will she admit that she needs help to any of them? Are you sure she'd entrust one of them with her baby." The doctor's dark eyes shone. "I think it's you or no-one. And B'Elanna is in no fit state to look after herself, let alone a baby."

Seven felt conflicted. She knew that the Doctor's logic was impeccable, but she did not want to leave Sickbay in order to re-generate.

Seeing her predicament, the EMH gave her a solution. "I have a side room available. Why don't you try and sleep in a real bed. I'll wake you if things change."

The young woman hesitated but after looking at the sleeping faces of B'Elanna and her daughter, she made up her mind. "I will comply."

B'Elanna tried to open her eyes, but they felt as if they were glued shut. Blinking fiercely, she tried again and felt the gritty irritation of sleep dislodge as she squinted in the artificial light of Sickbay. She moved a hand to wipe away the debris, but froze as a searing pain ripped across her abdomen. Involuntarily, she groaned, swallowing down acid nausea. She felt a pressure on her neck and almost instantly, the nausea and pain eased. Gingerly, she moved her hand again, and once realising that there would be no more agonising pain, at least for the time being, she lifted her arm and rubbed her eyes vigorously before opening them. She squinted into the glare of Sickbay and pulled focus onto the balding man looming over her. "Hey Doc," she acknowledged, her voice raspy and weak.

"B'Elanna." The EMH smiled kindly down on his patient. "How are you feeling?"

Torres was about to answer when a far more pressing concern overwhelmed her. "Doc, the baby?"

"You have a beautiful daughter." The EMH beamed proudly.

The half-Klingon choked back a sob of relief and returned the smile. "Thank you. Can I see her?"

"Of course. But I'm not sure you've got the strength to hold her yet."

"Doc," B'Elanna warned.

The medical hologram recognised the tone instantly. "I'll just go and get her." He hurried off. B'Elanna closed her eyes for a moment and offered a silent thanks to the gods that her baby was safe. She smiled softly. Her daughter. Hearing quiet footfall, she opened her eyes again and her breath caught as she saw Seven of Nine approach with a small bundle wrapped in a Starfleet blue blanket. The engineer's smile widened as she saw the concentration on Seven's face as she made her way to the bio-bed, clearly determined not to wake the infant with her movement.

"You look like a natural," the brunette complimented.

Seven looked up and smiled instantly, relief evident on her face. "B'Elanna…" she shifted the bundle in her arms slightly so that the baby's face could be seen. "Meet your daughter."

B'Elanna sat up gingerly and waited for Seven to hand her daughter into her arms. Once cradled, B'Elanna carefully moved the blanket and checked her daughter thoroughly, ensuring that she did indeed have all her fingers and toes.

"She's perfect," Seven commented in a hushed tone.

"Yeah – she is," the part Klingon agreed, unable to take the wide grin from her face.

"Say cheese," another voice instructed, breaking the spell and causing both women to look up in confusion. The EMH stood a short distance away, camera in hand, poised to take holo-images. "We need images for posterity," he stated. "Come on ladies, smile." The first picture was not successful, with both women showing forced grins, but they relaxed after the Doctor fussed over them, and he continued to take shots, capturing natural poses and action images as they spent time talking about what had happened. B'Elanna took great delight in Seven's stories of her attempts to feed her infant and subsequent accidents involving regurgitated milk. Seven demurred quite categorically that two of her biosuits would never be the same again as there was simply no way to remove the smell of rancid milk.

The two friends were still laughing over the episode when the doors to Sickbay opened and Tom Paris strode in. He was laden with various gifts including balloons, flowers and a huge stuffed toy. The helmsman took a moment to survey the scene before moving towards the bio bed. "So here are my two favourite ladies," he commented cheerfully.

"Tom!" B'Elanna smiled at her ex-husband and adjusted the hold on her baby so he could see her more clearly. "Wow. Thanks for all the gifts. Is that a targh?" she asked, gesturing at the stuffed animal.

Tom grinned. "Yep. I figured that you couldn't give up Toby, not even to your own daughter."

"Our daughter, Tom." B'Elanna corrected gently. "I know we're not married anymore, but I still want you involved. That is, if you want to be…" Suddenly, the brunette was not so sure and looked at the pilot quizzically.

Tom laughed. "Of course I want to be. We went through all this. I will help out in whatever way you want me to. And I'd like to be part of her life." He looked at the small infant who was now fidgeting herself into wakefulness and grew contemplative. "I'd really like to be a positive influence, if I can." He returned his gaze to the engineer. "B'Elanna, I know I told you before that I'd be a proper father to her. But I mean it. We might not be able to live with each other, but I'd like to think we love each other enough to make sure we do right by her."

Seven coughed, uncharacteristically nervous. "I should leave you to your privacy," she offered, stepping back.

"You don't have to on my account," Tom offered.

"I'm sure you have much to discuss." Seven was insistent. "However, I will return later," she confirmed, smiling softly at the bed-ridden half Klingon.

"Make sure you do," B'Elanna replied. She watched the tall blonde leave Sickbay before turning her gaze back towards her ex-husband. "What?" she asked, noting his curious look.

Tom opened his mouth to answer, and then shook his head slightly. "It'll wait," he told her gently.

"Tom, what'll wait?"

Tom ignored the question and instead posed one of his own. "So, what are we going to call her then?"

B'Elanna blinked suddenly. "I have no idea," she admitted with surprise.

"Miral?" suggested the helmsman, generously nominating B'Elanna's mother's name.

B'Elanna shook her head. "No. I know I've made my peace with her, but I'm not sure I can name our baby after her. To be honest, I'm not even sure I want a Klingon name."

"Well she is part Klingon," Tom pointed out obviously.

"Only a quarter," the engineer returned. "I don't know Tom. Names are so important. It should mean something to the both of us."

Tom smiled. "There's no rush. I'm sure we'll get inspiration from somewhere."

They were interrupted by the baritone timbre of the Doctor. "Would you like me to take a picture of you and the baby with B'Elanna?"

Tom glanced at B'Elanna and his daughter, now staring up at him with huge brown eyes. With remarkable sensitivity, he asked his ex-wife, "Would you mind?"

B'Elanna studied Tom's face for a moment. "Being a father has really had an impact on you, hasn't it?" she commented rhetorically.

"I don't think it's sunk in yet, to be honest." The pilot moved position and hunched down so that the Doctor could capture some images. He took the time to stroke the downy black mop of hair on his baby's head lovingly before looking at B'Elanna again. "You know, I had every intention of coming in here and using every tool at my disposal to convince you to come back to me so we could be a family together."

B'Elanna looked at the tall sandy-haired man, surprised at his candour. "What's stopping you?" she prompted.

"You're not in love with me," Tom replied simply.

The engineer blinked. "How can you be so sure?" Tom's direct frankness was unnerving her.

"I saw it today when I came through the doors."

B'Elanna narrowed her eyes as she tried to decipher Tom's obtuse reply but was distracted when she felt her daughter awaken properly, and with good reason. "I have a feeling we still need to talk about this Tom, but if you're truly serious about being a proper father, you can start right now. Your daughter needs a change."

Tom blanched as he realised what she meant. "B'Elanna, do I have to?"

"You're gonna have to do it at some point. And believe me; it'll get worse way before it gets better."

Tom grinned ruefully. "Well it looks like I'll at least get to spend some time alone with her." He reached down and scooped his daughter into his arms, cradling her and enjoying the sensation of holding her. "Wow. We made her." He stared for a moment before wrinkling his nose. "And she sure made something."

"Mr Paris, you'll find everything you need over at station 4," the EMH advised, grinning smugly at the thought of Tom having to deal with the business end of baby matters.

"Thanks Doc, enjoy it while you can. What makes you so sure that you won't be asked to assist every once in a while?"

The EMH was visibly taken aback. "Really? I'd be delighted." He puffed out his chest with pride.

B'Elanna smiled at the banter before relaxing back down on her cot. "We'll see," she commented lazily. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off, knowing that she would value every precious second of peace from now on.

"Doctor, is B'Elanna unconscious again?" Seven asked, concern evident in her voice.

The EMH looked up from his desk in his office. "She's fine, Seven. She's just sleeping."

The tall Astrometrics Officer frowned. "But she never takes this long to rest. Even at almost full gestation she was operating on only limited hours of sleep."

"She's been through a traumatic operation, Seven. She lost a lot of blood, and it was an extremely stressful time for her," the Doctor reminded her.

"But she will recover. Things will return to normal?" Seven was positively anxious.

"It's always difficult to ascertain exactly what normal is with Lieutenant Torres," the EMH remarked dryly. "But she should be back to her cantankerous self in a day or two."

Seven glanced round suddenly. "Where is the baby?"

"I've put her in a cot next to B'Elanna. After Lt Paris' fun and games at trying to change her and feed her, she decided that it was nap time."

Seven blanched slightly at the Doctor's description of the happy family. "B'Elanna must be pleased with his attention."

"She certainly is," the medical hologram replied, not noticing the flinch his response elicited. "In fact, they made quite the family. Would you like to see the holo-images I took of them?"

"Another time, perhaps," Seven demurred, unwilling to have a visual reminder of the close relationship B'Elanna still clearly had with Voyager's pilot. "Perhaps I should return later. I have no desire to disturb either of them."

Her movement towards the doors of Sickbay was halted when she heard B'Elanna call out. "And where do you think you're going?"

The tall blonde spun round immediately and smiled as she saw the engineer prop herself into a semi recumbent position. "I did not wish to wake you B'Elanna. You need every opportunity to recuperate."

"I'm not an invalid," B'Elanna objected. "I've had a baby." She grinned happily at the thought and glanced down to where her daughter was snuffling quietly in her sleep. "Besides, I need you here. The Doc's confined me here for another day. Even with this little one distracting me, I'll go mad if I don't have some company."

Seven had already moved to stand next to the bio-bed. "As long as I'm not intruding," she commented softly.

"Intruding on what? Me baiting the Doctor?" B'Elanna grinned smugly as she heard an indignant grunt from the EMH.

The ex-drone appeared to relax slightly and nodded. "Have you thought of any names yet?"

"Nope. To be quite honest, all the names I thought of before she was born just don't seem to fit now. At the minute, she's just my little peanut."

Seven was about to comment on the appropriateness of referring to an infant as a legume, when she realised that it was simply a term of affection. She smiled softly, but the smile turned melancholic as she reflected on B'Elanna's circumstances.

"What's up?" the engineer prompted.

"Your availability away from work has diminished almost entirely with the birth of your daughter," Seven stated blandly.

It took a moment for the brunette to decipher Seven's words. "No more free time huh? You're right. I think I'm pretty much going to be occupied with her for every second I can."

Seven nodded, trying to keep her face neutral. She had thoroughly enjoyed the time she had spent with B'Elanna learning to socialise and had valued every second. Now it appeared that their meetings would cease as B'Elanna would be quite rightly diverting her attention to her daughter. The thought of losing shared evenings was distressing, but Seven could understand why. She had spent most of her free time with the borg children until homes had been found for them, and had cherished that time.

The ex-drone hid behind a carefully constructed façade as she continued her conversation with B'Elanna, briefing her on the latest updates in Engineering and what was projected on long-range scanners. The Klingon hybrid laughed readily at her staff's antics and Seven wondered how she would manage to stay away.

Eventually, the EMH shooed Seven out, insisting that B'Elanna needed more time to rest, despite protests from the engineer. When the Doctor pointed out that it was quite likely that B'Elanna would be receiving a whole procession of visitors in the next few hours, she reluctantly agreed to the Doctor's wishes.

"Do you wish me to return tonight?" Seven asked, almost tentatively.

"Seven, please visit me whenever you want," B'Elanna pleaded, knowing that the hours of boredom she would endure in Sickbay would be reduced significantly by the blonde's presence. She was delighted that her comment provoked a grateful smile and didn't take her eyes off the ex-drone until the doors to the medical centre closed, cutting off her view.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

The Doctor's prediction of visitors proved exhaustingly accurate. First, Captain Janeway arrived, with a handmade blanket for the newest member of the crew. B'Elanna was delighted, and equally pleased that Kathryn ensured that she made just as much fuss over her Chief engineer as she did with the baby. "Well," she explained as she poured out a glass of ruby-red wine and held it out for B'Elanna to take. "Everyone focuses on the baby and forgets how much the poor mother has gone through."

B'Elanna laughed. "I knew there was a good reason you made Captain," she lauded, raising her glass towards her commanding officer before savouring a taste. "Oooo, that's good."

"Just don't over-do it," Kathryn advised in a low voice. "I don't think the Doctor would approve."

"The Doctor most certainly does not approve," the EMH interrupted. "However, as neither of you ever listen to my advice, it doesn't really matter." He shook his head as both women laughed.

The Captain stayed just long enough, reassuring B'Elanna that much as she wanted her back in Engineering, she did not want her rushing back too soon.

Janeway was followed quickly by Chakotay and Kim, and then Neelix and members of her engineering team. B'Elanna was stunned when Tuvok entered Sickbay and proffered his best wishes along with a Vulcan hanging mobile. B'Elanna narrowed her eyes at the contraption. "It's beautiful," she complimented.

"It is aesthetically pleasing," the Security Chief accepted, "but its purpose is to stimulate the baby's senses."

"Not a toy then," B'Elanna prompted, inwardly smiling.

"Vulcans have no need for toys," Tuvok replied blandly, raising one eyebrow as he acknowledged B'Elanna's attempted provocation.

"Thank you Tuvok. I'll put it up when I get home," she promised.

"I'll put it up when we get home," corrected Tom as he entered Sickbay.

"Hey Tom," B'Elanna greeted cordially. "You don't have to do that."

"It'd be my pleasure," Paris answered with a smile. He looked over to where the baby lay sleeping and his smile deepened. He was clearly already smitten with his daughter.

B'Elanna grinned evilly. "Ready for another round with a diaper?"

"Uh uh," the helmsman shook his head vigorously. "It's your turn next."

"I'll have to hunt round for more willing volunteers," she told him conspiratorially.

"Oooo – sneaky, Torres." Tom admired his ex-wife's deviousness.

"I'm an engineer," B'Elanna explained. "I know how to use resources." The remark triggered another raised eyebrow from Tuvok before he politely excused himself.

Tom took the opportunity to pick up his daughter and cradle her lovingly. "You're going home tomorrow, princess," he told her softly. "I'm going to make sure you've got everything you need at your mother's place, and then I'm going to replicate it all at mine, so you have all your creature comforts." He paused, suddenly nervous. "B'Elanna, it will be alright to share looking after her, won't it?"

"Tom, are you kidding? Of course it'll be fine. You're her father." Once again, the sandy-haired pilot proved a surprise to B'Elanna. "Once I've got a routine going, we'll work out all the detail."

Tom sat on the edge of the bio-bed, and looked at his former lover. "You want any help tomorrow?" he offered.

B'Elanna hesitated for a fraction. "I'd love help, but I'm kinda hoping someone else will give me a hand," she admitted, surprised at her honesty.

Tom grinned. "Yeah, I thought that might be the case."

B'Elanna blinked at him, before shaking her head slightly. "Am I that easy to read?"

"To me, yes. And I think the Doc may have a clue too. As for the rest of the crew," Tom shrugged noncommittally. "I think they're just happy you're not at loggerheads anymore."

"Me too," concurred the raven-haired woman. She sighed. "I just wish I could be sure she felt the same way."

Tom rolled his eyes. "For a half-Klingon, you can be a real coward sometimes," he told her, though his tone was soft, trying to take the sting from his words.

It didn't matter. Torres flared immediately. "And what's that supposed to mean?" she demanded, only hushing the last of her words as she heard the baby squeak a protest at the sudden rise in volume.

"Why are you waiting for her to guess how you feel? Tell her," Tom demanded. "You've got nothing to lose."

"I've got everything to lose," B'Elanna contradicted quickly. "I could ruin our friendship."

Tom shook his head, frustrated at the engineer's obtuseness. "If you don't tell her, this will just eat you up and it will affect your friendship anyway, and not telling her would be more harmful, it's… it's dishonest." Tom held up his free hand to prevent Torres from interrupting. "And give her some credit, will you? Even if she doesn't feel the same way as you, which I very much doubt, she would still be your friend. She'd still trust you. B'Elanna, one thing I know about you is that you choose your friends very carefully. That's why you only have a small circle of trusted friends. Don't doubt your own judgement, and don't under-estimate Seven's commitment to your friendship too. That's what I mean by having nothing to lose."

B'Elanna stared at him for a long few moments, her dark eyes smouldering as she took in his words. "When did you get so wise?" she asked eventually.

"It's easy when it's not about me," Tom admitted candidly. "I let you down as a husband, B'Elanna, but I'm not going to let you down as a friend. Okay?"

B'Elanna threw her arms round the pilot and hugged him, feeling their baby wriggle in comfort as she was suddenly cocooned between their bodies. "Thanks Tom," she murmured.

Seven blinked at the scene and felt a lurch of heart-breaking disappointment flood through her. As quickly as the emotion rushed over her, she subdued it and chastised herself. It made sense that B'Elanna would want to establish a family group. Seven had just hoped that the engineer might have chosen her instead of her ex-husband. The Astrometrics Officer blinked as the impact of those thoughts registered. Seven evaluated them again carefully, and concluded categorically that she did indeed want to share her life with B'Elanna and her baby. Unfortunately, due to her lack of self-reflection, or cowardice at her inability to voice her feelings, she had lost that opportunity.

With an uncharacteristic sigh, the blonde strode over to the bio-bed. "Lieutenant Paris, B'Elanna," she greeted formally.

B'Elanna smiled, drawing away from her embrace with Tom carefully so as not to disturb the sleeping infant. "Hey Seven," she replied with a smile. "Just the person."

Seven raised her ocular implant quizzically.

"Are you free to help me move back to my quarters tomorrow?" the half-Klingon asked hopefully.

"Barring any sudden conflicts, unexplained emergencies or faults onboard, I will be," Seven replied with typical honesty.

B'Elanna grinned. "Yeah, well putting any unforeseen incidents aside," she allowed. "Would you mind?" she queried, suddenly nervous.

"I would be honoured," Seven corrected. "But would you not prefer Lieutenant Paris to assist?"

"No can do, Seven," Tom told her. "Not only am I on helm duty, I'm also second choice." Seven frowned at his choice of words, and her confusion deepened as B'Elanna slapped him good-naturedly on his bicep and commented, "Don't flatter yourself, flyboy. You're way down the list."

Tom grinned widely, and then, winking at his ex-wife, turned to Seven. "Hey Seven, have you changed a diaper yet?"

Seven did not understand what was so funny about the question.

B'Elanna held her daughter up and slowly turned round 360 degrees. "Welcome to your new home, peanut," she told her softly. "This is the living area. And through there is the bedroom. And over there is your cot. That contraption over it was a present from Tuvok." The half-Klingon noticed her baby yawn sleepily. "Wow, you don't do much except eat, poop and sleep, do you?" she asked rhetorically.

"Your baby is just 3 days old, B'Elanna. What are you expecting her to do?" Seven enquired.

The brunette laughed. "Nothing. I'm just counting my blessings that she's so quiet for now. Looks like she's not going to be any trouble."

"From her heritage, I would suggest that is highly unlikely," Seven refuted blandly.

"Hey! I was a good baby," B'Elanna confided.

"For how long?"

"Er, well. Okay, I'm just going to make the most of this while it lasts," the engineer stated, laying the baby in her crib.

"I have put items that you might require in your bathroom and on the table," Seven told the shorter woman.

"Thanks, Seven. You want to sit down for a while?"

"I do not want to intrude on your time, B'Elanna," Seven responded.

The shorter woman frowned. "You never intrude on my time. I enjoy your company," she told her.

"Be that as it may, you have already stated that all your spare time will be consumed by attending your daughter."

"Well, yes, she is my first priority. But that doesn't mean I don't want to spend time with you." B'Elanna had a suddenly sinking feeling. "That is, unless you don't want to spend time with us."

"You and Lieutenant Paris?" Seven sought clarity.

"No, me and the peanut." B'Elanna stared at the blonde intensely. "What is this obsession with you thinking I'm doing everything with Tom now?"

"I have seen your interactions together with your child. It makes sense that you would want to be a family," Seven replied, her voice stilted with formality.

B'Elanna laughed, half in surprise, and half in relief. "Seven, Tom is my ex husband. I've got to get along with him for the sake of our baby, and to be honest, seeing him with her warms my heart. He's going to make a great dad."

"I see. I should leave," Seven interrupted, turning toward the doorway.

"Wait. Seven, he's going to be a great dad," B'Elanna repeated, "but I could never get back with him. I just don't see him that way. Besides…" she hesitated wondering if she could really tell Seven what she felt.

"Perhaps you just need more time to adjust," Seven offered.

B'Elanna rolled her eyes. Enough was enough. "Seven, I'm in love with someone else, not Tom."

Seven was crestfallen. She had come to terms with losing B'Elanna to Paris as there was an understandable logic to the situation. But to lose her to someone else was unacceptable.

B'Elanna, seeing the shattered look flicker across Seven's normally stoic visage, knew that she had to tell her. She closed the distance between them in a few steps. "You, know, for a highly intelligent woman with the knowledge of thousands of species, you can be awfully dense," she told her quietly.

"B'Elanna?"

"I'm in love with you." The brunette looked into Seven's eyes and held her gaze. "I'm sorry I waited so long to tell you. The truth is I was scared that you'd react badly and feel uncomfortable round me. That if I told you, it would damage the friendship with you that I value so highly. I was scared that you'd maybe even stay away."

Seven was reeling from the information and the emotional rollercoaster she had just ridden. She could see the absolute sincerity in the half-Klingon's eyes and realised the magnitude of the revelation.

"As a friend, I can think of no-one else I would rather spend my time with," she started.

B'Elanna had to stop herself from physically stepping back. "As a friend…?" She was suddenly finding it very difficult to speak, her throat contracting in an emotional precursor to crying. Despite warning herself that she could not expect Seven to reciprocate her feelings, she was devastated when she realised that the blonde really might only see her as a friend.

Seven continued rapidly. "But I cannot promise anything more until…"

"Until what?"

Seven paused for a moment, before lifting a hand to caress B'Elanna's face. She felt a thrill course through her at the touch and noticed the engineer's eyes dilate. "Do you remember how all this began?" she wondered, her voice as gentle as the fingers tracing patterns along B'Elanna's jaw-line.

The shorter woman gulped and nodded, careful not to break the contact, her heart racing and stomach flip-flopping; it was her turn on the rollercoaster.

Seven continued as if oblivious to B'Elanna's response. "I told you about my 'first kiss' with Commander Chakotay."

"No spark," B'Elanna confirmed, her voice barely above a whisper as Seven's enchantment continued to hold her still.

So very slowly, Seven lowered her head and brushed her lips across the smaller woman's. Even just that tantalising caress sent a jolt through her body, and Seven continued the embrace, her lips lightly dancing across the brunette's lips, savouring their sweetness, and glorying in the almost electric sensation that tingled through her mouth and on through her body.

With a will she hadn't realised she possessed, B'Elanna forced herself to remain passive and let Seven take the lead. She had no intention of frightening her away with an overly passionate embrace. She just hoped she could demonstrate her ardour once Seven was comfortable with their relationship. The engineer couldn't help but respond as Seven deepened the kiss though, and she brought a hand up to cup the blonde's face as they kissed for what seemed an eternity.

Eventually, Seven pulled back from the embrace, but only the shortest of distances. She could feel her heart racing and could hear her own ragged breathing. She savoured every sensation, filing each one in her eidetic memory in just nano-seconds as she closed her eyes and rested her forehead against B'Elanna's.

"Are you okay?" B'Elanna asked, almost timidly. Her body was alternating between the most exquisite feelings of being kissed and the abject terror that Seven might not feel the same way.

"I believe your analogy was incorrect, Lieutenant," Seven murmured.

B'Elanna's eyes widened in horror at hearing her rank used and she felt a lurching nausea in her stomach. "No spark?" she managed to grind out.

"More like the most glorious electrical storm," Seven corrected, smiling as she felt B'Elanna throw her arms round her and hug her close. They stood for long moments just holding each other and savouring the closeness.

"I love you too," Seven confirmed.

The End


End file.
